Insanity’s Anomaly
by Miss Matches
Summary: A battle with a Shikon-holding witch turns into something more as Kagome is kidnapped and sent to an alternate reality. What's this? An asylum? Everyone thinks she's crazy. Can she convince them otherwise and find a way home?
1. Chapter One

Summary: A battle with a Shikon-holding witch turns into something more as Kagome is kidnapped and trapped in an alternate reality by the witch's mysterious powers. She's in an asylum. Everyone thinks she's crazy. What's a poor girl to do? How's she gonna get back home? ----------------------------------------  
  
"MIROKU! BEHIND YOU!"  
  
"Got it! WINDTUNNEL!"  
  
"Inuyasha! Look out!"  
  
"Kagome," Shippo whimpered into the girl's ear. "Shouldn't we move further away? Inuyasha said—"  
  
"Yes, he said to hide. Go on, Shippo. I have to stay. Maybe I'll be able to help them!" Kagome fingered her bow nervously, but watched the battle with resolute eyes. Surely she could come in useful somehow...her miko powers had gotten a lot stronger lately! All three of her friends, and Kirara combined, seemed to have their hands full with battling their adversary. The little spell castress was amazingly quick and clever; despite her height (about two heads shorter than Sango) she seemed to be a good deal older. Her face was that of nearly a grown woman.  
  
"WINDTUNNEL!" Miroku's shout echoed about the battlefield as a purplish energy field surrounded the witch and the wind began pulling her towards the monk. For a moment, the witch's face held traces of panic—but then, the panic was replaced by a manipulative smirk. She muttered something none of them could catch. Nothing happened for a heartbeat. For two.  
  
All at once, a sparkling new energy force appeared. It snaked forward at an amazing speed, twisting around Miroku's staff, legs, and then, his cursed hand. The wind tunnel snapped close and the rosary beads wrapped themselves tightly about his wrist. The monk was thrown backwards. With a cry, he staggered and regained his balance, hastening to open the hole in his hand again. Everyone watched in shock as he tugged forcefully at the beads, trying to pull them off. They held, refusing to budge an inch.  
  
"Ah, monk. Did you really think I'd be beaten so easily?" Miroku's eyes barely had time to widen in surprise before he was thrown backwards a second time, colliding painfully with a thick trunk of a nearby tree. This time, he didn't get back up.  
  
"Miroku!" Sango's voice sounded pained and worried, but she held her position. With a mighty heave she released the demon-bone boomerang, which sped directly at the witch. The adversary gave an evil smile and laugh as the weapon moved directly through her once, and then a second time before returning to Sango's hand. Even as her slender fingers gripped the handle, a bright flash erupted, and Sango was thrown backwards just as Miroku had been. Hiraikotsu fell to the ground with a heavy THUMP.  
  
"Sango!" It seemed to Kagome that all any of them could do was shout each other's names and get angry with the little witch. Kagome could see that Inuyasha was even more frustrated than she. He shouted a few curses at the witch mixed with some banter, but received only another devious smirk in reply.  
  
"All right, then, if you're so arrogant..." Kagome noticed Tetsusaiga shift slightly as Inuyasha tightened his grip, and realized what he was about to do. He was going to attack, like all the others. Kagome had no doubt that the result would be the same as well. Could she stop him? She didn't think so. Even if she called to him, he probably wouldn't heed her advice—he was used to doing things his own way, and didn't care much for her interruptions. The most that could possibly happen was he would look up at the sound of her voice and get attacked by the witch while he was distracted.  
  
So she satisfied herself by squeezing Shippo's little hand and glancing at him briefly.  
  
"Inuyasha's gonna hurt himself, isn't he, Kagome?"  
  
"I don't know, Shippo. Maybe, if he's careful...."  
  
Both turned their attention back to the battle. Inuyasha raised his sword above his head again, and Kagome knew it was at moments like that that he was thankful that Tetsusaiga was light enough to wield again. Triumph flashed across his face as he shouted "WIND SCAR!" Tetsusaiga pointed forward and the blast of focused energy flew towards the witch. Again, she looked surprised for a moment while the force of the blast pushed her backwards, off her feet and blew the small body several feet from her previous position. Normally, the receiving end of that attack would've been cut and scratched pretty badly, but the witch only had one deep cut on her left shoulder, and a few smaller ones elsewhere.  
  
It was several seconds later before she stirred and sat up slowly. Her straggly, long hair was hanging in her face, obscuring it from everyone else as she stood shakily to her feet. Her head tilted up and her hair fell away to reveal an evil smirk and dark eyes sparkling with what could almost be called lunacy. "Insolent Halfling." Her voice was sharp, but her tone drawling. "Did you think I could be defeated with such a petty youkai's trick?" Inuyasha glared back at her, undaunted. The witch laughed. "Ah, I see. You're willing to try again? And maybe use a little more of your strength? If you've got a stronger attack, by all means, go ahead. I'm no little village you've got to be careful of harming." Her eyes flickered to Kagome for an instant, and then to the others, lying still across the battlefield.  
  
"In fact..." A wicked smile crossed the girl's face. "I'd be a little more careful of them, if I were you. Wouldn't want something bad to happen to one of your friends accidentally, now, would you?" Kagome closed her eyes. Now she'd done it. 'Please, Inuyasha,' she begged silently. 'Don't do anything reckless.'  
  
But, of course, he couldn't hear her mental praying, and probably wouldn't have cared anyway. He raised the sword again, obviously preparing to strike with another wind scar—after all, the witch had no demonic aura that would be useful in Tetsusaiga's ultimate attack. Kagome looked between the two nervously, sensing something was wrong. Something, she felt was going to go wrong. Instinctively, she grabbed Shippo from her shoulder and tossed him aside, away from herself.  
  
It all happened very fast. The witch was behind her in an instant, holding her in a sort of headlock. One pale, clammy arm was beneath her neck; the other was holding her hands still. Inuyasha stopped in mid-attack, looking horrified and then angry in turn. "What's the matter, Halfling?" The witch cooed sweetly, stepping backwards and bringing Kagome with her. "Weren't you going to attack me with your great big weapon? Not so strong now, are you?" She took another smooth step.  
  
"Let her go. Now." There was cold fury in his words and burning in his amber eyes. Only someone who knew him well could see that there was also something close to fear in their depths as well.  
  
"Or what? I seem to have the upper hand here. You're in no position to give orders." She was right, and Inuyasha knew it, but he only looked more furious at her words. The control of the situation had slipped from being equal to being in the witch's favor, and he didn't like it at all. Kagome swallowed. The witch's grip was tight. And she smelled odd. Stuffy. Like heavy perfume. With every moment she was moving back a little further. Inuyasha's stance was unsteady. Unbalanced. Kagome's eyes widened in understanding of what he was planning.  
  
Without a moment's notice, Inuyasha sprang up into the air and landed behind the witch. He had obviously intended a reverse-hostage situation: either put my friend down or I'll make you do it. But it hadn't gone as he'd planned. The witch immediately was ten feet away, with HER hostage still in tow. So THAT was how she'd moved so quickly before. It was something close to teleportation, Kagome thought. She didn't like it. It made her feel dizzy. Inuyasha looked around for a second until he spotted them. His confusion was soon replaced with the anger again as the witch laughed.  
  
"Ah, you underestimated me again. Once more and it may cost you." She tightened her hold on Kagome's neck slightly for emphasis. Though she did her best not to do anything, Kagome couldn't help it—she choked. Her eyes met with Inuyasha's desperate ones for a split second, and their thoughts seemed to pass between them.  
  
'What should I do, Kagome? Please don't get hurt—'  
  
'Don't worry, Inuyasha. I have a plan.' She managed to mouth one word to him: diversion. He blinked in confusion, then seemed to get the message. He swallowed and let—or made—his shoulders slump a bit, as if in defeat. He even made his ears droop, a touch Kagome thought was quite clever. His eyes and voice held traces of defeat as he lowered Tetsusaiga to a limp position tip-to-ground and murmured, "What do you want from me?"  
  
The witch blinked. "You'll give up so easily?"  
  
Inuyasha stared at the ground. "I can't risk hurting my friend. I can't attack you. What do you want?"  
  
The witch seemed to be contemplating what he'd said. At last, she looked up at him and spoke with a shrewd tone in her voice. "I don't believe you. Your acting....it's too sincere. No demon has that kind of emotions for a human." Her laugh was shrill, high, and arrogant. "What do you take me for, a—"  
  
But what the witch thought they took her for they never found out, for at that moment, Kagome decided to make her move. She gathered all her panic- driven energy in her fingertips and grabbed a hold of the only thing she could reach—the witch's hand. Instantly, there was a bright flash of purplish light, and the two were blown apart. Kagome landed on her feet and staggered to regain her balance, while the witch did the same.  
  
"Clever, my pretty," the witch acknowledged with a smile a moment later as she steadied herself. "I hadn't known you were a miko. You certainly haven't made use of your powers in the battle before. Was that your plan?"  
  
"Of course," Kagome lied, but the witch knew it was fake and smirked leeringly. Inuyasha stepped forward, probably to place himself in front of Kagome and end the battle himself, but found an aura-created force field blocking his way. He looked down in surprise at the blue light that appeared when he tried to step forward.  
  
"You stay out of it," the witch snapped silkily at the annoyed Inuyasha. "Give the pretty miko a chance to play. You can't have all the fun for yourself." Kagome swallowed again and reached behind her back to the quiver of arrows she always carried with her. With fingers as quick as lightning, she fitted the blessed arrow to the bow she'd been given. "Ah, pretty. You've got arrows with you? They're blessed with miko energy, no doubt." She squinted. "...Unless you're weaker than I suspect?"  
  
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Kagome challanged, bringing to bow up before her eyes. She released the arrow.  
  
The projectle flew forward with gathering speed, its aim perfect. The witch sidestepped, but was a bit too late anyway--the arrow caught her just at the center of her left shoulder. She let out a strangled cry, staggering backwards with sheer shock written on her face. Red-black blood seeped through the purple sleeve of her garment and fell in small droplets from her arm. "You little wench..." The witch looked up with vengence in her angry gaze. "So...you are powerful. I hadn't expected your aim to be so...practiced." She reached up and clutched the arrow, attempting to pull it out. Inuyasha and Kagome both smiled triumphantly as the arrow rejected the witch's touch with a cackle of purplish energy.  
  
"What...what sorcery is this?!"  
  
Kagome smiled. "It's positive energy. It rejects negative energy." The witch looked worried for a moment, then her expression cleared to the previous cold and blank.  
  
"I see." She shrugged. "But it makes no difference." She turned to Inuyasha, her face mirroring a cold sort of triumph. "Tell me...does this wench mean much to you, Halfling brat?" Inuyasha blinked, wondering what she meant and how he should answer. The question couldn't bring anything good, he decided. The witch looked far too happy. "Ah...you've no answer." The witch smiled. "I suppose, if that's so, you won't miss her much."  
  
Inuyasha's eyes widened in understanding. Of course. They had played right into the witch's hands. That forcefield could easily be used as a trap. "Kagome! Quick! Defend yourself!"  
  
But it was too late. The witch gave one last smile and an evil cackle as she raised her arms. The forcefield began to shirnk, first slowly, but then gathering speed. The last thing Inuyasha could see was the witch taking hold of Kagome's wrist just before the bubble closed completely, disappearing into thin air with a little hiss. Inuyasha staggered foward, disbelief numbing everything but his hearing, which seemed to be working overdive to pick up any hint of sound from the two. This couldn't be happening...where had they gone?  
  
"NO! KAGOME!"  
  
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"Inuyashaaaaa!"  
  
"Be quiet, impertinent human." The witch's tone was cold and clipped as she released Kagome's wrist and shoved her backwards. Kagome stumbled and ran into something hard and equally cold, feeling a rush of pain in her back as she slid to the floor. They appeared to be in some sort of dungeon as far as she could tell. The air was chilly; the walls, floor, and ceiling were made of hard, rough gray stone. It was dim--the only light sources were the narly-extinguished torches that were attached to the walls. Kagome blinked, looking around slowly. There were several long, wooden tables about the room, each covered with an assortment of bottles, basins, and other sorcery- related objects.  
  
"What do you think of my humble little den?" Kagome was brought abruptly out of her pool of thought. Her brain snapped to attention.  
  
"Where are we? And what do you want with me?"  
  
"You have the great pleasure of joining me in my home. It's an honor shared by few others." Her dark eyes glittered. "I want nothing but your company as of the moment, my sweet. Your friends will come to save you soon enough, and then MY reward will be recognized." She stretched leisurely. "Until then, d'you think you could get rid of this dreadful arrow...?"  
  
"No!" Kagome snapped. Just who did this woman think she was? "I'm not doing a thing for you until you set me free!"  
  
"I'll set you free, all right," the witch said. "I have special plans for you."  
  
"Wh-what d'you mean?" Kagome asked shakily. She didn't like the sound of that. The witch moved closer with a smile that—suddenly—could almost be described as kind. She knelt beside the young miko.  
  
"Aren't you tired? That battle was hard for you, wasn't it?" Kagome blinked dazedly, feeling suddenly tired. She forced her eyes to open, but couldn't force her mouth to do the same. "Ssh, now. Rest. Your friends will be here to pick you up soon. I'll watch over you until then." If Kagome had been thinking logically, she would've recognized that the witch—their adversary!—was trying to trap her into something again, to do lord-knows- what to her while she was sleeping. But the voice was so soft and comforting...and she was so tired...so tired...  
  
Darkness chewed away at the edges of her vision. At last, Kagome allowed the sleep to take her in its embrace and hold her. Warm tendrils of blessed numbness engulfed her body as the pitch black swam and twisted about her, pushing away all light and sound and thought. All images and memories and words abandoned her for the moment, replaced only with peace, which filled everything and anything...  
  
The witch smiled down at the now-sleeping priestess. This process was entirely too easy. Placing her fingers on Kagome's temples, she murmured an incantation to seal her spell. Of course, the little girl's friends would come to her rescue. She'd go to them later and offer them a trade—their pathetic miko for all the shards of the sacred jewel they had gathered. She was more than sure that they would agree in the end. They would trade, thinking it worth it—but they would be wrong. The witch was no without a sense of humor. She would banish the girl's soul to an alternate reality. Her body would be nothing more than flesh and bones. A breathing corpse.  
  
The witch laughed a shrill, careless laugh, pulling away from the still body lying on the cold stone floor. There was preparation to be done for her bartering later. 


	2. Chapter Two

"Kagome, wake up." Someone was shaking her shoulder impatiently.  
  
"Silly! You're going to sleep right through breakfast!" That voice was shrill, followed by a high-pitched giggle. It was different than the first. More childish. Both were familiar. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright with a gasp, spilling someone who had been sitting beside her onto the floor. Kagome glanced around wildly. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was being abducted to the witch's home...and that was certainly not where she was now. The walls were covered with cheerful pink- flower print wallpaper that matched the carpet on the floors. Come to think of it, the comforter on the bed matched as well. A bed! What was she doing in a bed?  
  
"What in Kami's name is going on here?!"  
  
"You're missing breakfast again, Kagome-chan." Sango moved over and sat beside her on the bed as the someone she had knocked over climbed up again as well, smiling blithely. Shippo! Sango! What were they doing here? And where was here? As far as Kagome could tell, they were in her time. Not the Feudal Era. Not the witch's cave. Not.... Kagome blinked as Sango poked her in the forehead, looking impassively annoyed. "Did you hear me, Kagome? We're all going to be stuck with the cold leftover eggs if we don't hurry."  
  
"Yeah, Kagome! Cold eggs!" Shippo giggled some more, poking her just as Sango had.  
  
"Sango, what in the world—?"  
  
"Hey, hey, it's cool," Sango interrupted, standing up. "If you don't wanna eat, you don't have to. But I'd just like to remind you that starving yourself won't work again. Those shrink guys are onto ya, girlie. They're watching ya real closely." She left the room through the open door, calling over her shoulder, "You know that the same trick never works twice!"  
  
Kagome stared after her, sure for all the world that she had gone crazy. None of this made any sense. No one made any sense. She looked down distractedly, and nearly jumped when she found herself almost nose-to-nose with Shippo, who had closed the distance between them and was staring into her face as if she'd sprouted a third eye. With a squeal of surprise, Kagome backed off the side of the bed and met with the squishy carpet, finding herself looking up at Shippo and the bed. That didn't last long, for a moment later Shippo scooted right off the bed and landed squarely on her chest, earning himself an "OOF!" of surprise and slight pain.  
  
"C'mon, Kagome! Let's go catch up with Sango before she takes all the breakfast!" And with that he was out the door and out of sight. Kagome sat there, on the floor, blinking in pure shock for several minutes, not quite sure what to do with herself or make of the situation. She was so lost in thought, that when another person entered the room, she didn't notice until she heard his voice.  
  
"Kagome? What are you doing on the floor?" She jumped and backed away from the voice, only succeeding in bumping into the nightstand and bruising her back. The person walked closer and knelt in front of her, looking concerned. "Kagome. Do you know who I am?"  
  
"Miroku!" She jumped forward and looped her arms around his neck, more relieved than she could put into words. She'd been terribly afraid in that moment she hadn't recognized him, for a reason she couldn't explain. Miroku sat there patiently for a moment, allowing her to squeeze the life out of him. At last, though, he reached up and gently unclasped her hands, pulling back with his own hands on her shoulders.  
  
He smiled warmly. "Oh, good. You do remember. I thought you were having another one of your episodes." Episodes? Kagome wondered what he meant, but put that aside for the moment, looking Miroku over. Where were his purple robes? He was wearing a business suit-looking outfit—a white shirt and jacket, with white slacks and black shoes. He looked...like a doctor. Kagome backed away from his touch, suddenly suspicious, and Miroku's smile changed into something uncertain. "Kagome, what's wrong?"  
  
"Who are you?" She stood and backed up, towards the door, preparing to flee. This couldn't be real. Miroku's hand...it wasn't cursed. He wasn't dressed as a monk. This was all wrong. It had to be one of the witch's tricks. This imposter...he was probably going to attack her! Kagome backed up, stretching her hands behind her for anything to defend herself with. She found....a clipboard. The same Miroku had been carrying when he'd entered the room. She grabbed the pen from the holder and put in before her threateningly, as if to ward him away with it.  
  
"Kagome....it's me. Miroku. I'm your doctor, remember? I'm your friend." He took a tiny, tentative step forward and Kagome backed up, still holding the pen as if she might stab him. "Now...don't do anything foolish, Kagome. Don't hurt yourself. I'm not going to hurt you." He walked forward just a bit more and Kagome stumbled backwards, nearly losing her balance. "Give me the pen, Kagome....Right here..." He stretched out his open palm and held it out to her.  
  
Should she listen to him? He certainly looked like Miroku, and sounded like him, and acted like him....Sango and Shippo had seemed right, too. She had trusted them, to some extent; why shouldn't she trust this one? If he was going to hurt her, he was going to do it anyway, whether she struggled or not. That in mind, she reluctantly stepped forward and placed the potentially dangerous object in the doctor's outstretched hand. Immediately the pen disappeared into the breast pocket on Miroku's jacket. He smiled to her, looking relieved, as though something terrible had been avoided.  
  
"There, now, Kagome. It's all right. We'll talk about this later, okay? Why don't you go get some breakfast?" His smile became more amused. "You wouldn't want the 'cold leftovers,' now, would you?" He continued smiling as he watched her back out the door and walk uncertainly in the direction Sango had disappeared in.  
  
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She'd thought the cafeteria would be at least a little hard to find—after all, she had no memory of this place, or where anything was. The truth of the matter turned out to be that the cafeteria was very easy to locate. All the rooms were separated into three wings, as far as she could tell, all of which branched off from one main hallway. The main hallway was wider and longer than all the others she saw as she passed, and it was carpeted with daisy-print multicolored carpet. At the very end was a set of double doors held open by magnets built in the walls, and beyond those doors was the cafeteria.  
  
Kagome stepped inside hesitantly. The smells of breakfast assaulted her. She could see a serving line that reminded her suddenly of her school lunches. There was a long row of buffet-looking carts. Three or four adults were standing behind the carts, spooning food onto the trays that the people handed them. Kagome figured she should mimic the others until she figured out what was going on. She walked forward, took a tray from the pile, and joined the end of the line.  
  
"Well, good morning, Kagome. I'm happy to see you." Kagome glanced up in confusion.  
  
"K-kaede-baa-chan!"  
  
"Aye, child. Would you prefer eggs or cereal?" Kaede smiled kindly while Kagome blinked, lost a moment in that fact that she knew almost everyone she was running into. Still, a few were missing. But maybe they were there, too, and she just hadn't run into them yet. She would have to ask Sango.  
  
Kagome snapped back to reality. "Oh...cereal, please." She didn't trust the eggs—they did look cold and lumpy, just like the school food she always detested. Kaede handed her a bowl, a small box of cereal, and a Styrofoam cup of milk, and she left the line, wandering about, looking for a place to sit.  
  
"Kagome! Over here!" Sango waved from a nearby table. Kagome rushed over, relieved, and sat down beside her friend. "So you're going to eat after all, huh? Yeah, starvation's not gonna work again, babe. But, Kagura's got an idea for you!" Kagome almost fell out of her chair. Kagura! She was sitting right there, right across the table from Sango! What was the MATTER with her? Sango must've misinterpreted Kagome's look of horror, because she said quickly, "I know the one with the letter openers didn't turn out very well, Kag, but this idea's much better—"  
  
"Sango," Kagome whispered frantically into her ear, "don't you remember who this IS?"  
  
"Yeah, Kag... this is Kagura." She glanced to Kagura. "Kagura, Kagome. Kagome, Kagura." Kagura looked confused, glancing quickly between the two.  
  
"Did I miss something?"  
  
"Nah. Kagome's just feeling a little funny today. That's why she's going to go to her room and take a nap now." The tone in Sango's voice demanded obedience. Kagome hopped up, feeling like a six year old being ordered to bed by her mother. "See ya in a bit," Sango said, waving goodbye to everyone dismally. "I'm going to walk her to her room...Silly thing. Keeps forgetting where she's going." Kagura smiled sympathetically and waved goodbye to Kagome as Sango pulled her out the door.  
  
As soon as they were out of the cafeteria and out of Kagura's earshot, Sango turned on her friend. "What's with you, Kagome? You're acting weirder than usual."  
  
"Me? YOU'RE SITTING THERE WITH OUR ENEMY!" Sango stared at her blankly. "She's been trying to kill us since we met her! SHE WORKS WITH NARAKU!"  
  
There was a long period of silence. No one said anything until they were standing in front of the room Kagome recognized as the one she'd woke up in that morning. Sango turned to her friend, looking concerned. "Kagome...are you feeling...like you used to?"  
  
"Huh?" Kagome didn't understand. The older girl's voice sounded pained at the idea. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean...d'you....are you thinking about the Feudal Era again?" Kagome's heart leapt into her throat. Sango remembered! She knew! Maybe they could escape this terrible place together! A wild hope flashed in Kagome's eyes.  
  
"You remember! I'm NOT dreaming! Sango, this is wonderful! We can find a way out together! We—" Sango only looked more aggrieved as she interrupted her friend.  
  
"Kagome..." She swallowed. When she spoke again, her voice was firm. "None of that's real. THIS is real. We never went to the Feudal Era. There's no such thing as the Shikon Jewel. Whatever else you believe, whatever you think is real...it's not. You're not a miko, Kagome. You're normal, j-just like everyone e-else." Tears were welling in Sango's eyes, and her voice was losing its spirit. "I thought you were getting better. Kagome, if they think you're going back to...to how you were before, they'll never let you out. Don't do this to yourself, Kagome. Please. You're so close...." Sango's voice became wispy. "...So close to being free again...to leaving this place forever."  
  
All of this washed over Kagome in heavy waves. They thought...everything...was her fantasy. They thought she'd made it all up. Even Sango didn't believe her. Kagome was nothing but numb for several minutes, while Sango watched her worriedly. She swallowed repeatedly. How could she possibly get a psychiatrist to believe her if one of her best friends didn't? More importantly, how could she get free of that place.  
  
Kagome turned to Sango stubbornly. "It is real, Sango. And I'm going to prove it to you, one way or another." With that she went into her room, leaving a forlorn Sango standing outside. 


End file.
